The wilderness season is often marked by an absence of God’s presence. Your faith feels dry and you’re not sure why. You can’t hear God’s voice clearly. The ways you connected with him are no longer satisfying.
What’s going on?
There’s purpose in the silence. It’s in the silence where the true alignments of your heart are revealed. It’s meant to prompt you to seek God in new ways. God wants your whole heart, and he will use the wilderness to grow a deeper hunger for him.
God loves you too much to let you stay in the same place. Sometimes he “hides” in order for you to seek him in new ways.
“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Jer 29:13
Seeking God in the wilderness can look like:
Embracing the quiet
Let's face it, most of us don't enjoy sitting in silence for very long. If there's a pause in conversation, we immediately try to fill it, or when we're alone we turn on music or scroll on our phones. Maybe we end up carrying this tendency with us into our relationship with God as well.
But what if there's a blessing that comes only in silence? It's in the stillness where you make space for the Holy Spirit to come. It gives you time to become more aware of his presence. Waiting patiently on the Lord and lingering in prayer can bring beautiful and unexpected moments of peace and joy. You have to bravely choose to embrace the quiet in order to receive those gifts.
Turning from the old
When something you're doing isn't leading to the results you're after, it's time to reassess what's working and what's not. God often gives you a vision or promise for a future season, then launches you into the wilderness to prepare you for it. This involves clearing the path of anything that may be getting in your way of moving forward.
Receiving more of the Spirit and following his leading requires us to let go of our old ways. We have to surrender the idols, lies, habits and desires that contradict the lifestyle of Jesus. Emptying ourselves prepares us to be filled afresh with true identity, purpose and authority.
Digging new wells
One of the signs you're in a wilderness season is when your faith feels dry. Your passion for Jesus has faded and the practices you engaged with him through aren't enjoyable. It's tempting to just keep going through the motions and looking for other sources to satisfy you apart from God.
If you’re feeling dry in the wilderness, it’s time to dig deeper to find the streams of living water Jesus has placed in you. You have to actively participate in drawing out the hope and joy in your heart. This means persisting in prayer and praise until you experience refreshment and renewed strength.
It can be really frustrating and unnerving when God is silent, but knowing it’s part of the wilderness season can bring some peace. He's not ignoring you because he doesn't care anymore. He’s challenging you to seek him more diligently to experience him more fully.
What’s one new way you’ve been seeking the Lord in the wilderness season?
And if you're looking for a way to process your wilderness season experience, I created some free journal prompts to help you find clarity. Click here to download.
Photo by mk. s on Unsplash.
